Longwood
The largest octagonal mansion in the United States. Construction was halted by the Civil War, and only the basement was completed. The upper floors remain an unfinished skeleton.
Longwood was started in 1860 by cotton planter Haller Nutt. Designed as a six-story octagonal mansion in the Moorish Revival style, it is topped with an onion-shaped dome. When the Civil War broke out, the northern craftsmen left, and construction came to an abrupt halt. The Nutt family moved into only the completed basement. Today, the upper floors remain unfinished, with scaffolding, tools, and brick walls still in place. It is a “mansion frozen in time by war,” and it is unique among all the plantation homes in America. It is managed by the Natchez Garden Club. Guided tours run daily and last about 30 to 40 minutes. Admission costs about 25 US dollars.
Opening hours
Daily 9:00 AM–4:30 PM, guided tours on the hour
Nearby sights
- Dunleith
- Auburn
- Temple B'nai Israel
- Magnolia Hall
- St. Mary Basilica
- Rosalie Mansion
- Melrose, Natchez National Historical Park
- William Johnson House